sharpness
/ˈʃɑːpnəs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈʃɑːrpnəs/ (ame, ipa)
sharpness — 名詞
1. the quality of a blade, tool, or point that lets it cut through materials or pie
鋒利
刀鋒或尖端能切開物品的特性
the quality of a blade, tool, or point that lets it cut through materials or pierce surfaces with little effort.
Kwame tested the sharpness of the kitchen knife by slicing a ripe tomato.
Kwame 用切番茄來測試菜刀的鋒利度。
the sharpness of [tool] + testing context
The sharpness of the scissors made cutting the thick fabric easy for Wei.
剪刀的鋒利度讓 Wei 輕鬆剪開厚布。
Yuki checked the sharpness of her pencil before the drawing exam began.
Yuki 在繪畫考試開始前檢查了鉛筆的鋒利度。
Good chefs know that the sharpness of a blade affects the quality of the cut.
好的廚師知道，刀鋒的鋒利度會影響切出的品質。
The sharpness of the needle let Fatima push it through the leather easily.
針的鋒利度讓 Fatima 輕鬆將它穿過皮革。
文法句型
the sharpness of [noun phrase]
用法筆記
The most concrete meaning; typically paired with physical tools such as knives, scissors, blades, and needles. Not used for abstract concepts like intelligence.
常見錯誤
2. a way of speaking or writing that is severe, critical, and likely to upset the p
尖銳；刻薄
言語嚴厲傷人的特質
a way of speaking or writing that is severe, critical, and likely to upset the person being addressed.
The sharpness in Elena's voice told her colleagues she was very angry.
Elena 語氣中的尖銳讓同事們知道她非常生氣。
the sharpness in [possessive] voice
Javier tried not to show how much the sharpness of the review upset him.
Javier 盡量不表現出評論的尖銳讓他多麼難過。
Ingrid replied with a sharpness that nobody had heard from her before.
Ingrid 以一種大家從未聽過的尖銳語氣回應。
The sharpness of the teacher's criticism made the student feel embarrassed.
老師批評的尖銳讓那名學生覺得很沒面子。
There was a surprising sharpness in his tone during the meeting.
他在會議中的語氣帶著令人意外的尖銳。
- gentleness
kind and soft manner of speaking
- mildness
not strong or extreme in expression
文法句型
the sharpness of [possessive] voice/tone/words
用法筆記
Describes the manner of expression, not the person. 'Her words had sharpness' is correct, but 'She is sharpness' is not. Compare with sense 5 (INTELLIGENCE), which uses 'sharpness' to describe a quick mind.
常見錯誤
3. the quality of cold air, wind, or frost that feels biting or painful against the
嚴寒
天氣極度寒冷的感覺
the quality of cold air, wind, or frost that feels biting or painful against the skin.
The sharpness of the winter wind cut through Dmitri's heavy coat.
冬季寒風的嚴寒穿透了 Dmitri 的厚重外套。
the sharpness of the [weather noun]
Hassan could feel the sharpness of the early morning frost on his cheeks.
Hassan 能感受到清晨霜凍的嚴寒刺痛了他的臉頰。
The sharpness of the mountain air surprised Linh when she stepped outside the cabin.
山谷空氣的嚴寒讓 Linh 一踏出小屋就嚇了一跳。
Even with thick gloves on, the sharpness of the cold made walking difficult.
即使戴著厚手套，嚴寒仍讓走路變得困難。
- biting cold
more descriptive and colloquial; emphasises the painful sensation
- bite
colloquial noun as in 'the bite of the wind'
- nip
informal, suggesting a milder cold
文法句型
the sharpness of the [wind/frost/air/cold]
用法筆記
Restricted to weather contexts — wind, frost, cold air. Not used for cold objects or cold drinks. 'The sharpness of the ice cube' would be sense 1 (physical edge), not this sense.
4. how clearly defined something is, making it easy to see, hear, or think about —
清晰
影像、聲音或思路清楚分明
how clearly defined something is, making it easy to see, hear, or think about — for example, a crisp photograph, a distinct sound, or a focused way of thinking.
The sharpness of the old photograph surprised everyone at the exhibition.
那張舊照片的清晰度讓展覽中的每個人都感到驚訝。
the sharpness of [image]
Amara adjusted the focus ring to improve the sharpness of the camera image.
Amara 調整對焦環以改善相機畫面的清晰度。
The sharpness of the audio recording made every word easy to understand.
錄音的清晰度讓每個字都很容易聽懂。
After a good night of rest, the sharpness of her thinking returned completely.
好好休息一晚之後，她思考的清晰度完全恢復了。
The sharpness of the TV picture improved after Wei installed the new cable.
Wei 安裝新線路後，電視畫面的清晰度改善了很多。
- clarity
broader term; sharpness emphasises crispness more than clarity does
- definition
technical term for visual sharpness in photography and optics
- crispness
colloquial, often used for images, sounds, and fresh food
- blurriness
lack of clear visual definition
- fuzziness
lack of clear edges in an image or sound
文法句型
the sharpness of [image/picture/sound/mind]
用法筆記
Covers three domains: visual (photographs, screens), audio (recordings, broadcasts), and mental (thinking, memory). Unlike sense 5 (INTELLIGENCE), this sense focuses on clarity and definition rather than mental speed.
常見錯誤
5. how quickly and accurately someone notices details, grasps ideas, and understand
敏銳；機敏
反應快、善於觀察與理解的頭腦
how quickly and accurately someone notices details, grasps ideas, and understands things that are not obvious to other people.
The teacher was impressed by the sharpness of Kwame's questions in class.
老師對 Kwame 在課堂上所提問題的敏銳印象深刻。
the sharpness of [possessive] questions/observations
Mei-Lin's mental sharpness made her a strong player in chess competitions.
Mei-Lin 的思維敏銳讓她成為西洋棋比賽中的強手。
Age had not reduced the sharpness of Grandmother's memory at all.
年紀絲毫沒有減退奶奶記憶力的敏銳。
The debate showed the sharpness of both students' understanding of the topic.
這場辯論展示了兩位學生對議題理解的敏銳。
Fatima solved the puzzle in two minutes, and everyone praised her sharpness.
Fatima 兩分鐘就解開了謎題，大家都稱讚她的機敏。
文法句型
[possessive] mental sharpness
the sharpness of [possessive] mind
用法筆記
Emphasises mental speed and perceptiveness rather than accumulated knowledge. Distinct from sense 4 (CLARITY) — this sense is about how quickly someone grasps things, not whether their thinking is clear.
常見錯誤
6. how quick, precise, and skilful someone's physical movements are, especially in
敏捷
動作快速且熟練的能力
how quick, precise, and skilful someone's physical movements are, especially in sports or hands-on activities.
The tennis coach admired the sharpness of Javier's reflexes at the net.
網球教練欣賞 Javier 在網前的反應敏捷。
the sharpness of [possessive] reflexes/movements
Yuki's physical sharpness on the basketball court earned her a place on the team.
Yuki 在籃球場上的身體敏捷讓她入選了球隊。
The dancer trained every morning to maintain the sharpness of her movements.
那位舞者每天早上訓練以保持動作的敏捷。
A goalkeeper needs both sharpness of reflexes and good decision-making skills.
守門員既需要反應敏捷，也需要良好的判斷力。
- agility
focuses on ability to move quickly and change direction
- nimbleness
suggests lightness and quickness of movement
- quickness
simpler and more general; can apply to both mind and body
- clumsiness
lack of skill in physical movement
- sluggishness
slow and lacking energy in movement
文法句型
[possessive] physical sharpness
用法筆記
Common in sports commentary and coaching contexts. Often paired with nouns like 'reflexes', 'movements', 'reactions'. Not used for mental quickness (see sense 5).
7. a strong, sour, or slightly bitter quality in food, drink, or smell that creates
辛辣；酸
味道或氣味強烈刺激
a strong, sour, or slightly bitter quality in food, drink, or smell that creates a clear and often pleasant biting sensation on the tongue or in the nose.
The sharpness of the lemon made Wei pucker his lips.
檸檬的酸味讓 Wei 皺起了嘴唇。
the sharpness of [food item]
Elena loved the sharpness of aged cheddar on her pasta.
Elena 喜歡陳年切達乾酪的辛辣口感。
The sharpness of the vinegar gave the salad dressing a pleasant kick.
醋的酸味為沙拉醬增添了令人愉快的風味。
Hassan could smell the sharpness of the spices before he opened the kitchen door.
Hassan 還沒打開廚房門就聞到了香料的辛辣味。
This cheese has a pleasant sharpness that goes well with sweet fruit.
這種乳酪帶有宜人的辛辣，與甜味水果很搭。
文法句型
the sharpness of [food/drink/smell]
用法筆記
Typical with citrus fruits, vinegar, aged cheese, strong spices, and fermented foods. Can describe smell as well as taste. A positive quality when describing strong cheeses or citrus, but can be negative for spoiled food.
常見錯誤
8. the quality of a physical pain or an emotion that comes on suddenly and feels ve
劇烈；強烈
疼痛或情緒突然且強烈的程度
the quality of a physical pain or an emotion that comes on suddenly and feels very strong, as if it is cutting or piercing.
A sudden sharpness in Dmitri's back made him stop lifting the box.
Dmitri 背部突然一陣劇痛，讓他停下搬箱子的動作。
sharpness in [body part] for sudden pain
The sharpness of Ingrid's grief surprised her weeks after the funeral.
Ingrid 在葬禮數週後仍對自己悲傷的強烈感到驚訝。
The sharpness of the pain in his knee told the doctor about the injury.
膝蓋疼痛的劇烈程度讓醫生了解受傷的情況。
Amara felt the sharpness of disappointment when the flight was cancelled.
Amara 在航班取消時感受到了強烈的失望。
Time had softened the sharpness of her sadness after losing her home.
時間沖淡了她失去家園後的強烈悲傷。
文法句型
the sharpness of [pain/grief/sadness/disappointment]
用法筆記
Common in medical and emotional contexts. Often collocates with verbs like 'feel', 'soften', 'ease'. Time is a typical subject when describing how this sharpness fades ('Time softened the sharpness of...').